I’ve been a fan of Craig’s List for years. Craig Newmark – THE Craig has even commented on my blog! I’ve been working with Mike Berry to find a VP level IT position in Utah and rediscovered my love for Craigs List. Last night he sent an email about a contract job and was called within an hour. I found a possible business connection and a few leads.
In a spirit of giving thanks here are the things I love about Craig’s List (and be sure to use CrazedList to search multiple locations at one time).

• Local is where it’s at. The Internet makes the world global but personal connections in real life are still the most powerful. Craig’s List has introduced me to some amazing contacts locally. It’s full of entrepreneurial types like me.
• I’ve found people to help with my business. Again, these are locals who I can meet with, so it’s a good networking tool.
• While local is where it’s at I also found a great writer in Oregon for some contract work.
• Unlike corporate job boards, Craig’s List often gives you direct contact info for the person hiring.
• Craig’s List is a great place to find contract jobs.
• I comb Craig’s List for places to live, things I want to buy, etc. I’ve never used the forums but that’s another great resource.
• If you’re a local business you can list it on CraigsList and even work in some keywords – even if you don’t have a web site.

Best of all it doesn’t cost anything. I know it’s not to this level here but my friend Ariel (congrats on passing the bar!) just explained how in San Francisco Craig’s List is a culture. You buy or sell something, you share a beer and chit chat. There is almost trust built in just by using the site – they’ve managed to create community around it. So it’s no wonder I’m a fan and I hope that the culture expands here like it is in California.